1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to humidors for maintaining moisture in vegetable matter in general and tobacco products in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
Humidors have long been known for the storage of cigars and other vegetable matter. It is also known to provide large cabinet humidors having transparent surfaces in tobacco shops, that patrons might view the contents thereof and make purchase decisions.
A disadvantage of the prior art is that the contents of the cabinet humidors are difficult to view. Often the would-be purchaser must approach the humidor closely to peer through the transparent surfaces. Frequently, it is necessary to open the humidor to visually examine the cigars, despite the presence of transparent surfaces, because prior art humidors position the cigars in a generally horizontal position.
Prior art cabinet humidors are also often very large, indeed massive, and take up valuable floor space. Small tobacco shops will therefore usually not carry properly stored cigars. In restaurants, any humidor larger than the traditional box humidor takes up enough space that it must be mounted in the areas of the establishment that are accessible to patrons, since they will not fit behind the counter or bar. This creates a security problem often requiring the placement of a lock on the humidor door. Such locks waste valuable employee time since it is necessary for the would-be purchaser to track down an employee with the key. If an employee is not immediately available, a sale may be lost as the customer becomes frustrated.
Small box-type humidors are an unimpressive substitute for the larger cabinets. These boxes are best for home use, yet many business establishments, particularly nightclubs, use them because they are easily kept behind a bar or counter so as to eliminate the security problems. Unfortunately, valuable employee time is wasted when the customer must ask to see the available selection. The bartender or waiter must then stand patiently, box in hand, while the customer peers therein, asking the price of each brand and size of cigar.
Glass jar humidors are also known. These comprise glass jars in which cigars are tightly bundled. The cigars must be removed vertically by reaching down through the top of the jar. This type of humidor is useful for displaying only one type or brand of cigar and placement and removal of the contents is cumbersome and ungainly, particularly when the jar is full and the contents tightly packed. Similar jar-type humidors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,930 and in design patent U.S. Pat. No. D293,608.
A major disadvantage of both box-type and jar-type humidors is that they provide access to the products they contain from an opening at the top. Since humid air rises relative to dry air, each time a top-access-type humidor is opened the humid air therein is dumped into the atmosphere and rapidly replaced with drier air. Frequent cycles of humid and dry air can and will damage such products as fine hand-rolled cigars, causing their wrappers to flake and internal structure--the filler and binder--to fracture. This is because tobacco shrinks and expands in response to changing humidity. A typical nightclub might sell about sixty cigars in a single evening, representing sixty cycles of humidity shock to cigars stored in such containers.
This invention provides a humidor of space-saving resign that is easily adapted to a barshelf or mounted on a wall and may be used in small tobacco shops, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and other such establishments. The humidor of this invention allows easy viewing of the contents thereof, so that would-be purchasers can make a purchase decision without opening the humidor or consuming the valuable time of employees. Further, because of the space-saving features of the invention, the humidor may be placed or mounted behind a sales counter or other such employee/patron barrier and thereby provide effective security against theft and shoplifting. Alternatively, the humidor of the present invention may be mounted upon a wall while presenting a slim profile that will not waste valuable floor space. The humidor of this invention also provides lateral access to the contents thereof, allowing for ease of insertion and removal of the products stored and significantly reducing changes in humidity when opening and closing the container.
The unit provides a dramatic and prominent display of the goods therein, clearly displayed and illuminated. Though primarily intended for cigars, the unit is useful for certain valuable foodstuffs and is also of interest to certain specialty and health food stores.